Xiaoyu was placed not by the lakeside, but halfway up the mountain. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

This is the area where ordinary cultivators of the Jade Ring Pool reside. Compared to the lakeside palace where only Ji Xueruo lives, the buildings here are noticeably denser. But fortunately, the night is deep, there are no pedestrians on the road, and the lights are sparse.

Even cultivators of the Jade Ring Pool are divided into ranks based on their talent and cultivation. The immortals of the Jade Ring Pool are collectively called the Yui Race, and the ancestors of the Yui Race, to encourage all clan members to strive forward, do not care about so-called main or branch families. As long as the surname is Yui, they can strive for what they deserve through strength within the Jade Ring Pool. It is said that Shenxi, one of the three Patriarchs, walked step by step from the outer ring to the inner ring and miraculously became the Patriarch.

Ji Xueruo hid her cultivation through specially learned skills. Unless there is a stark difference in realms, it’s hard to notice her, so she walked smoothly along the way.

She also secretly reflected that perhaps because Jade Ring Pool avoids the world and is protected by the Pool Protection Array, she rarely encounters any ill-intentioned criminals. So the guard procedures in this pool are so sparse.

She pushed open the door, using the Sound-Swallowing Skill to mute the opening sound, and quietly walked in.

Unexpectedly, upon entering, there was a huge wooden basin filled with water, and Xiaoyu, clad in a thin garment, lay quietly in the water.

Her bright eyes blinked, like two gemstones in the dim candlelit night. And her lower half submerged in the water, compared to before, was already much improved.

This agile fisher girl has a pair of slender and powerful legs, and now these legs have black liquid spreading on them with fish scales that have not yet faded on the calves, reflecting the shimmer of the water.

After carefully observing this late-night visitor, Xiaoyu quickly withdrew her guard. She remembered Ji Xueruo’s appearance, not only because Ji Xueruo impersonated her for a while but because the beauty of this girl was unforgettable.

"Miss Ji, you’ve come to see me!"

Xiaoyu was somewhat surprised. She tightened her clothes, preparing to stand up from the water, but her legs were still not enough to support her actions, only causing a splash of water.

"Mmm..." Ji Xueruo closed the door and walked a few steps closer to the wooden basin.

Seeing Xiaoyu getting better, much of her concern was relieved.

"So late, why aren’t you sleeping yet?"

Xiaoyu was momentarily shocked, then said, "I slept all day when I was sick, now I can’t sleep anymore."

"It seems Jade Ring Pool has helped you recover well." Ji Xueruo’s voice was always cold, even when expressing concern.

"Indeed, I’m really grateful to the Immortal Masters of Jade Ring Pool. I thought I would forever become such a monster."

Xiaoyu clenched her little hands with a look of lingering fear:

"But most grateful is Grandpa and Miss Ji."

"There’s no need to thank me. Instead, your grandpa worked hard fishing for you. When you get better, you must be filial to him."

"Xiaoyu will!" Xiaoyu promised solemnly, then said, "After transforming into a monster, my mind was unclear. I was afraid of being discovered, so I entrusted Miss Ji to play the role of me in this rough manner. Thinking back now, it really was a hard task for Miss Ji."

"Fortunately, Xiaoyu is very pretty too." Ji Xueruo felt awkward comforting people and continued, "Besides, my dealings with your grandpa were just an exchange. Playing a few days to obtain your family’s treasured item was a profitable deal for me."

As she spoke, she took out a necklace from Mr. Yu from her bosom. Hanging on the necklace was a rice-white lotus seed, nearly withered.

Xiaoyu glanced at the necklace and said gloomily:

"That thing, to us, was actually useless, yet viewed as a treasure by the ancestors, passed down from generation to generation. Thinking about it now, it’s quite laughable."

"Why do you say that?" Ji Xueruo asked curiously.

Xiaoyu lowered her head and placed her hand on her empty collarbone. Grandpa had given her the necklace when she was three, and she had worn it day and night, growing up with it. Now, without the necklace, she didn’t feel lost, but rather liberated.

"The lotus seeds on the necklace are from the fruit borne of ten thousand lotus flowers after they wither in Jade Ring Pool. Every fruiting season, tens of thousands of lotus seeds are born. The immortals couldn’t use them all, so they casually tossed one as a reward to the fishermen, astonishing Yu Family ancestors, causing them to diligently fish for several generations. Isn’t that ignorant and laughable?"

Xiaoyu’s voice held some melancholy, yet also some excitement:

"The Immortal Master who treated me told me Xiaoyu has a Spirit Vein. Once I’m healed, I will be bestowed the surname Yui and stay in Jade Ring Pool as an Immortal. Xiaoyu was delighted upon hearing this because I’ll no longer be a fisher girl. Father and mother died from illness, yet I must inherit the Yu Family’s fate of fishing for generations. The necklace that served as an award for the Yu Family’s fishing contributions was like a shackle, binding Yu Family members forever to the lake surface. Luckily, Jade Ring Pool has accepted me! From now, there will be no Yu Xiaoyu, only Yui Xiaoyu!"

Ji Xueruo’s beautiful eyes widened slightly. The aura emanating from this somewhat dark-skinned fisher girl surprised her and felt familiar.

It turns out even such a weak little girl desires to change her destiny.

"Congratulations, Xiaoyu, but don’t be arrogant just because you can cultivate. You’re just at the doorstep."

"Yes, yes, I definitely will! I want to become a Fairy as skilled and beautiful as Miss Ji! And then I’ll bring Grandpa here too!"